as in rebellion
refusal to obey laws as a way of forcing the government to do or change something
In an act of civil disobedience, the family sent its tax money to an antiwar organization. A student organization is encouraging civil disobedience as a way to get the university to change its policies.
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Recent Examples of civil disobedience
The civil disobedience draws attention to a federal program credited with saving 25 million lives in over 50 countries.
—
Samantha Riedel, Them, 12 Feb. 2025
That group utilized civil disobedience and other direct activism to prompt changes such as pushing the Food and Drug Administration to accelerate approval of drugs to treat HIV/AIDS.
—Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 12 Oct. 2024
What began last month as peaceful student demonstrations against civil service employment quotas for descendants of the nation’s 1971 war of independence spiraled into a campaign of protest and civil disobedience across the South Asian nation of over 170 million.
—Charlie Campbell, TIME, 5 Aug. 2024
The most intense protests have occurred in California and Texas along the border and near halls of government, with demonstrations of civil disobedience.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil disobedience
Samantha Riedel, Them, 12 Feb. 2025
That group utilized civil disobedience and other direct activism to prompt changes such as pushing the Food and Drug Administration to accelerate approval of drugs to treat HIV/AIDS.
—Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 12 Oct. 2024
What began last month as peaceful student demonstrations against civil service employment quotas for descendants of the nation’s 1971 war of independence spiraled into a campaign of protest and civil disobedience across the South Asian nation of over 170 million.
—Charlie Campbell, TIME, 5 Aug. 2024
The most intense protests have occurred in California and Texas along the border and near halls of government, with demonstrations of civil disobedience.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil disobedience
Recent Examples of Synonyms for civil disobedience
Noun
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Or just a brilliant disguise?’ - from Brilliant Disguise Rock 'n' roll has always embodied rebellion and dissent.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
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Set in the Alentejo region of southern Portugal, where Mateus was raised, a peasant community of grape-pickers become agents in an open-air ritual of remembrance and rebellion.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Last December, Willis was arrested at the Capitol for staging a bathroom sit-in in defiance of a proposal to ban trans women from women’s restrooms on federal property.—
Erin McMullen,
TIME,
20 Feb. 2025
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The examples that are often pointed to are not quite outright defiance of court orders.—
Isaac Chotiner,
The New Yorker,
11 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Each campus should follow state law and guidelines regarding noncooperation with ICE and/or other federal entities.—
Isidro Ortiz,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Feb. 2025
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In addition, state-level politicians, including attorneys general and governors, have repeatedly demonstrated their willingness to challenge federal overreach through litigation and noncooperation.—
Victor Menaldo,
The Conversation,
16 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Civil disobedience.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civil%20disobedience. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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